


The Power of Love

by sentinel28II



Series: One Night in Atlas [10]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Breakfast, F/F, F/M, Humor, Love sometimes hurts, Resolution, Sadness, Season 7 Spoilers, it's a kind of magic, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:14:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22033120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sentinel28II/pseuds/sentinel28II
Summary: One Night in Atlas has come to an end!  It's morning in Atlas, and time for breakfast...except that this is going to be the most awkward breakfast in the history of Remnant.  Yang and Blake, Weiss and Jaune, Winter and Qrow--they will all have some explaining to do, especially to each other, and namely Ruby Rose.  And Ruby is not happy.And making matters worse, Salem has been watching them the whole time.  But is she behind the One Night in Atlas, or is love the one enemy that Salem can't defeat?
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc/Weiss Schnee, Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie, Oscar Pine/Ruby Rose, Qrow Branwen/Winter Schnee
Series: One Night in Atlas [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1575496
Comments: 7
Kudos: 44





	The Power of Love

**Author's Note:**

> Whew! Welcome to the end of "One Night in Atlas." It's been a fun ride. I haven't written this much in this short a time in years, and it's felt really good getting these plot ideas out of my head. Considering it started with "So when did Yang and Blake finally become a couple?" and just snowballed from there...I never intended this to be more than a one-shot, and here we are. 
> 
> A heads-up on this chapter: there are no actual sex scenes. I kept the Explicit tag because sex is heavily referenced. Also, if you haven't read the other nine chapters of "One NIght in Atlas," this story's not going to make a lot of sense. While the other chapters are fairly standalone, this one is not. It's also a rather long chapter.
> 
> Finally, I apologize for the food references in here, but you might want to grab a bite to eat before reading. I got hungry just writing this thing.

_Atlas Academy_

_Kingdom of Atlas, World of Remnant_

_The Next Morning, 9:00 AM_

James Ironwood walked down the hallway to Winter Schnee’s quarters. He winced slightly as a twinge of pain shot up his right side. The rain always did that to him. Luckily, the rain seemed to have cleared off some, giving Atlas some sunshine. 

He was looking forward to breakfast this morning, despite the pain. Team RWBY and Team JNR had made it to Atlas despite the odds—even if they did steal an Atlesian airship to do it. He wished they had simply contacted him; he was hoping to bring them to Atlas as soon as they had recuperated from the fall of Beacon. There was some unecessary bad blood between him and the kids— _men and women,_ he corrected himself, they were no longer children—and he hoped to make that right. With their help, he would turn Amity Colosseum into a true beacon of hope for Remnant, and warn the world about Salem. Then the real work would begin, but he felt a lot better about his chances. He had two Relics and one Maiden on his side, and Salem, if RWBY’s report was accurate, no longer had either—though if Cinder Fall, the Fall Maiden, was truly dead, then he would’ve expected someone else to have manifested the power by now.

He reached Winter’s quarters and knocked on the door. He was mildly surprised that he had to knock twice; Winter was usually awake and ready to go by this time. If anything, 0900 Hours was late for her. Still, Winter Schnee deserved to sleep in when she could; Ironwood didn’t know what he’d do without her.

If he was mildly surprised Winter didn’t answer the door on the second knock, he was very surprised when the door was answered by Qrow Branwen—a shirtless Qrow Branwen. “Morning, Jimmy.” He thumbed back towards the bathroom. “Winter’s brushing her teeth.”

“For the second time!” Ironwood heard Winter yell indignantly. She stuck her head out of the bathroom, toothbrush held like a weapon. “Get off your Scroll, Qrow! Who are you talking to? I can’t believe you did that in my _mouth!_ Why didn’t you warn me, you—“ Winter stopped cold as she saw Ironwood, dressed in full uniform as usual, at the door. She turned bright red and slammed the door to the bathroom.

James Ironwood was many things. Stupid was not one of them. Neither was naïve. He turned a bit red himself and cleared his throat. “You two, um…need a minute?”

Qrow shook his head. “She does, maybe. Late start to the morning.”

“I’m afraid to ask, but what happened to your shirt?”

Qrow said nothing, just smiled and thumbed back towards the bathroom again. “I…see,” Ironwood said. “Well. Perhaps I’ll just meet you at breakfast. I’ll send someone down with a new shirt.”

“I’d appreciate it, Jimmy.”

Ironwood raised his voice. “Meet you at breakfast!” he repeated loudly. In a much lower voice, he told Qrow, “She missed you.” He winked, smiled, and walked off. 

Qrow closed the door and walked back towards the bathroom. “Is he gone?” Winter asked in a plaintive voice.

“Uh-huh. He’s sending someone over with a new shirt.”

Winter opened the bathroom, still blushing. “I still can’t believe you did that to me, Qrow. A gentleman would warn a lady.”

Qrow chuckled. “I’m no gentleman. Besides, it was your idea to wake me up with a blowjob for old times’ sake.”

“I’d kill you, but you’re too good in bed.” She sighed. “I shouldn’t have brushed my teeth first.”

“Ah well. Kiss me?” He made disgusting kissy lips at her.

“Oh hell.” Winter shoved him back against the wall and kissed him. “Don’t mess up my uniform.”

_Atlas Academy Dorm Room 1 Cafeteria_

_9:20 AM_

Oscar Pine sat down at the immense, tableclothed table. Everything was pristine, plates set out perfectly on linen of blue and white, the school’s colors. He was the first there, and because it was the first breakfast at Atlas, with General Ironwood and Colonel Schnee in attendance, Oscar wore his best clothes. He smiled as he smelled the wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen—fresh bacon, rolls, toast, eggs, pancakes—everything a hearty breakfast needed. Oscar, used to getting up with the dawn to do chores on the farm, had missed such food. With the exception of the days spent at the Cotta-Arc residence, their food had largely been eaten on the run lately, with whatever was readily available.

He felt good today. Sunlight streamed in through the large, decorative windows, and besides the good smells, he had slept great. Once or twice he sleepily thought he had heard yelling, but put it down to either his imagination or one of Team RWBY playing a video game.

Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie arrived next. Both looked chipper as well. Nora stopped cold, took a deep breath of pancakes, and took her seat, closest to the kitchen so she would get served first. Ren, naturally, sat next to her, ending up next to Oscar. “Good morning,” he said affably.

“Good morning, Ren—Nora,” he replied. “Did you sleep well?”

“We did,” Ren replied. “Or at least I did. I think Nora might’ve woken up once or twice.” Nora grinned and looked like she was holding back laughter, though Oscar had no idea what could be so funny. 

“You looked exhausted last night,” Oscar said.

“We were. I think we were more tired than anyone. At least, it certainly seems so.”

Nora could not hold herself back any longer. “Oscar,” she said, still with that wide grin that made Oscar wonder if something was about to happen to him, “did anyone come by your room last night? Like say…Ruby?”

Oscar looked confused. “No. No one did. Why? Was she supposed to tell me something?”

“You’re _sure_ she didn’t come by?”

“Nora,” Ren warned. 

Oscar’s confusion deepened. “No, sorry.”

“Just wondering.” She stuck her tongue out at Ren and seemed a bit disappointed.

The next two arrivals were Jaune Arc and Weiss Schnee. Both of them were a little shaky, Oscar thought, but they took their seats across from Ren and Nora. Weiss gave a sharp intake of breath as she sat down, and Nora bit her lip, her cheeks swelling. Oscar wondered what was wrong with her. There was obviously something going on he didn’t know about. _Probably some practical joke Nora’s going to play on Jaune._ “Good morning,” he greeted Weiss and Jaune. 

“Morning,” they both replied. 

“Are you all right, Weiss?” Oscar asked guilelessly. Under the table, Ren stepped on Nora’s foot in warning. She managed to change the expression on her face from looking like she was ready to burst to something more normal, though the grin remained. 

“I’m fine,” she replied. “Back hurts a bit.”

“I bet it does.” Nora winced as Ren ground his foot into hers a little more. “From sleeping in that darn airship,” she hastily added. 

“I know, right?” Jaune moved his back and groaned loudly—too loudly. _What is going on here?_ Oscar wondered. 

“Be right back,” Nora said, and extricated her foot from under Ren’s. She walked into the kitchen. 

Oscar was about to ask just what was happening when Blake and Yang arrived. Even he could tell something had happened between them. Yang’s smile was bright as the sun, and Blake’s, though more subtle, was there. _Oh, maybe it’s them,_ Oscar thought. _I see! Blake must have finally confessed her love to Yang…or something like that. They look really happy._ Oscar felt just a bit of envy for the two of them, but was glad for them. “Good morning,” he nodded to them, wondering why he’d elected himself the formal greeter. 

“Good morning,” Blake said. She tried to hide the happiness on her face without success. As the Faunus took her seat, Yang walked to Weiss. Weiss gave her a small smile, but Yang pulled her out of her seat, with a yelp of surprise from Weiss, and hugged her. “Congratulations!” Then she went over to Jaune, grabbed his hand, and shook it with both of hers. “And congrats to you too, Jaune!”

“Um, thanks!” Jaune got back an aching hand, met Oscar’s eyes for a moment, turned beet red, and looked away hurriedly, which left him looking at Nora, who skipped back in from the kitchen. She threw Jaune a thumbs-up, and then saw Yang. She smirked and pointed at her with a wink. Yang pointed back at her with a grin as Nora sat down.

Oscar was now thoroughly confused. Blake and Yang made sense; he wasn’t so blind as to not have noticed the attraction between them on their journey to Atlas, and he knew the story of what had happened at Beacon thanks both to Ruby and Ozpin. But why was Yang congratulating Weiss and Jaune, who looked so embarrassed? As far as he knew, there was nothing between them at all. For once, he wished for the immortal consciousness of the professor, so Ozpin could tell him what was going on.

He opened his mouth to ask Yang, but the doors opened to admit first Winter Schnee, then Qrow Branwen, then General Ironwood. “All rise!” Winter barked, and all seven of the people at the table—save Yang, who was already standing—got to their feet. Winter reached her seat, turned on one heel, and waited at parade rest, hands behind her back, until Ironwood got to his seat. Qrow just slouched as usual.

Ironwood nodded. “Be seated.” He sat down at the head of the table, Winter at his right, Qrow to his left. Winter seemed to even sit at attention. Qrow leaned across. “Relax…Ice Queen.” Winter did not even look at him, but Oscar thought he saw just the slightest hint of anger on her face. At least, that was the only reason he could think of why her face was a bit red. 

The general looked around the table. “Where’s Miss Rose?”

“That’s odd,” Weiss said. “Usually she’s here before most all of us.” Ruby’s metabolism was something to behold. She could seemingly consume her own weight in food at breakfast and be hungry again at lunch. In addressing Ironwood, it meant Weiss had to look at Winter, and she quickly turned away from her sister. Winter didn’t notice, as she was fighting the temptation to ram a fork into Qrow’s hand. He was leering at her, and when she did look at him, he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

“She probably is still asleep,” Ren said helpfully.

“That’s all right,” Ironwood stated. “You’ve all had such a long journey. I probably should have let you sleep longer.” One of the cooks leaned out from the kitchen, and Ironwood beckoned him forward. The cook nodded to Ironwood, then back to the kitchen. 

The parade of plates began. Each plate was already tailored to the people they were served to. For Nora, of course, there was a heroic pile of pancakes; she drooled openly at the sight. Ren, who tended to eat sparingly, was brought a smaller plate of steamed buns. For Oscar, there was a farmer’s breakfast of hash browns, eggs over easy, and sausage. Weiss was served toast, marmalade, a bit of salami, and scrambled eggs, and had to fight not to drool like Nora did—it was the breakfast usually served at Schnee Manor. She did not need to be reminded of her parents just then, but the wonderful food made up for it.

For Jaune, there was a huge plate of waffles with strawberries. Blake stared in wonder at the baked flounder with eggs, while Yang said “Hot damn!” when a steak and scrambled eggs was set in front of her. Winter had the same as Weiss—in a smaller portion, as she tended not to eat a large breakfast—while Qrow also got the farmer’s breakfast, though the eggs were poached, Patch-style. Ironwood shared the same steak and eggs as Yang. Each of them was provided with milk and coffee.

The waiter with the plate for Ruby—which was more waffles slathered in strawberries and cream, with a side of bacon—paused and looked at Ironwood before he set the plate down. “She may not be coming,” Ironwood said, but at that moment, the door opened and Ruby Rose walked in. Walked was not the best word; shuffled like a zombie was probably better. “Sorry I’m late,” she grumbled as she made it to her seat. Her expression, which was also rather zombielike in that she looked three days dead, brightened some when she saw the waffles, but it was the coffee she reached for. Yang scooted the bowl of sugar towards her, but Ruby completely ignored it. She poured the coffee and drank it black as night. 

“Sis?” Yang asked in concern. “You okay?” Ruby grunted in reply. Her eyes looked like two pools of molten silver surrounded by fields of lava, and the bags underneath made her appear ten years older.

“Hey,” Jaune said, getting the attention of the waiter as the latter headed back towards the kitchen, “this seems a bit much.” He motioned at the huge amount of waffles on his plate.

The waiter pointed at Nora. “She said you needed a second portion. To keep your strength up.” The waiter shrugged, and Nora vainly tried to suppress a giggle. Ruby gave her a murderous scowl, drained her coffee, and poured another.

They began eating, no one really saying much. Ironwood wanted them to eat before he began talking about the orders of the day. Like Oscar, he was also trying to figure out just what was going on. Winter staring daggers at Qrow while he loudly chomped on his sausage he understood. What he didn’t understand was why Weiss seemed uncomfortable, Jaune kept stealing guilty looks at Winter, and Nora kept grinning at both of them while Ren wore an expression of exasperation. Ruby seemed on the verge of passing out, but Ironwood noticed the glares she kept shooting her sister, who was oblivious. Yang and Blake were the only ones talking. 

“I think I should cut my hair,” Blake said between bites.

“Why?” Nora asked from down the table. “It looks great the way it is.”

“I don’t know. Just feel like changing it up a bit. It’s always harder to keep it clean.”

“What were you thinking?” Oscar was not actually remotely interested in Blake’s hair, but sitting next to Ruby was like sitting next to a ticking bomb. She was now pouring her third cup of coffee, having eaten only a little of her waffles and none of her strawberries, which was extremely unusual.

“I don’t know,” Blake repeated. She set down her cutlery and made a chopping motion just below her human ears. “Maybe about this short. That way it doesn’t get tangled up in Gambol Shroud.”

“So, you’re saying you want to get a _bob cat?”_ Yang chortled. Blake closed her eyes but smiled a little, but she was the only one. Everyone else either ignored the cheap pun or didn’t even seem to notice. “Get it…bob cut…bob cat?” Yang added. 

“Shut up,” Ruby snarled over her coffee. Even Ironwood was taken aback by the venom in her voice. He was about to say something when his Scroll beeped. He checked it. “Excuse me for a moment,” he said, and got up. Winter rose as well, but he waved her to a seat with an expression that told her it was nothing serious, and walked out of the room. 

Yang had a great bad idea. “Hey Rubes,” she asked her sister, pretending she didn’t notice the death stare she was getting from her, “can I have a strawberry?”

“Sure, why not,” Ruby said, in a voice half a degree above freezing. She poured a fourth cup of coffee.

Yang took it, waited for everyone’s attention to be elsewhere for a moment, and nudged Blake. “Hey,” she whispered. When Blake turned to her, Yang held the strawberry in front of her mouth, closed her eyes, and licked the tip of the strawberry with her tongue, letting out a soft moan. Blake’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and her face turned the same color as Ruby’s dress.

Oscar closed his eyes as well, because the bomb that was Ruby Rose had just counted down to zero.

Ruby slammed down the coffee cup with a bang that startled everyone and shot to her feet. “ _Fucking_ _dammit, Yang!”_ she shouted. 

“What?” Yang asked.

“You! And that strawberry! I saw what you did, you…you…” Ruby struggled for words “…shameless hussy!” Those were not the right words, but since the only other one she could think of was slut—and Ruby did still love her sister—it was the best she could do. "Gad! We're sitting right here and you have to start that shit?"

Yang carefully set down the strawberry. “What did you say?” she said slowly, dangerously. Blake moved her chair back slightly. Yang got to her feet with the same deliberation.

Usually that was enough to warn Ruby to back off, but this day the little sister was not backing down. “I heard you last night, Yang.” Blake was waving her hands frantically, trying to stop the battle from starting. “I don’t have a problem with you and Blake,” Ruby said in a low but clear voice. “In fact, I think it’s awesome. It’s fucking awesome. Emphasis on fuc—“

Yang crashed both of her fists on the table, making the plates jump. “Don’t you _dare_ finish that sentence, Ruby!” Her eyes were starting to shift to red.

“I don’t have to!” Ruby shot back. “We all heard it last night! I know Weiss heard it because she stomped out of her room right afterwards! I bet Jaune and Nora and Ren and Oscar heard it, too! Hell, I bet _Winter_ heard it!” She stabbed a finger at the elder Schnee. 

Oscar raised a hand, despite the fact that he knew he might become an alternate target. “Um, I didn’t hear anything—“ Jaune, Weiss, Ren and Nora wisely kept quiet. Winter was very confused, while Qrow was very amused. He was only surprised that it had taken Yang and Blake this long.

Oscar's fears were realized when Ruby’s head came around like a Beowulf sensing prey. “And you shut up too, Oscar! You with your farmer’s fingers and freckled face and deceptively cut abs!” Oscar shrank back in his chair, wondering if he was about to be vaporized by silver eyes and startled by her words. She focused back to Yang. “Even _Penny_ knows about it.”

Yang was gritting her teeth, her hair beginning to take on a much shinier hue, so it fell to Blake to ask, “Penny? How did she hear us?” Then she covered her face with her hands, as she realized she’d just confirmed that she had been the one making Yang scream.

“Penny's a godsdamned robot! She’s an advanced piece of Atlesian technology with super hearing!” Ruby snapped. Her hands were shaking with a combination of fatigue, frustration, and too much coffee, which also accounted for her next words. “She heard Weiss too—“ Too late, Ruby slapped a hand over her mouth. Shocked out of her anger, she turned to Weiss, eyes wide in apology. Yang, her eyes going back to lilac, turned towards Weiss as well—not because she didn’t know what had happened, but because she was curious if Weiss was going to admit it. So did everyone else not named Weiss Schnee and Jaune Arc.

“She heard Weiss…what?” Winter asked, in a voice barely above a whisper, that held the chill of an open grave.

Had Jaune not been seized with terror, his vision of being impaled on the end of Winter’s sword about to come to horrifying reality, he might have toughed it out—kept eating his waffles, turned calmly to Winter, and said something like “Weiss and I talked last night until around 3 AM, and she asked to stay with me as Yang and Blake were being rather loud.” It might have worked, and Team JNR, which stuck together, would have confirmed it. 

Instead, Jaune paled and shouted “It was an accident! We didn’t mean to!”

Winter was out of her chair in a blur, and for a moment, Yang wondered if her Semblance hadn’t somehow transferred, because Winter’s eyes glowed in rage. “ _What_ was an accident, Jaune Arc? _What?”_ Jaune babbled something, sure that Jinn in her lamp was already pondering his tombstone.

Weiss had enough. Someday, Winter was going to learn that she wasn’t twelve any longer, and that day was today. She stood and faced her sister calmly. “We slept together last night, dear sister. Jaune and I.” 

“He did WHAT?” Winter took two steps forward menacingly, and even Yang got out of her way. Blake wondered if she shouldn’t create a shadow clone to distract the colonel and give Jaune a chance to escape.

“I made the decision, Winter!” Weiss shouted. “I asked him to! He was kind and gentle and a decent man about it! I’m not ashamed of it at all! In fact,” Weiss said, hands on her hips in defiance, “we did it _twice._ ”

Jaune put his head in his hands. “I’m a dead man,” he whispered.

Winter still glowered, but she stopped her advance. “You two better have used protection,” she growled.

“No, Winter, we didn’t. In fact, I’m probably pregnant right now, and we’ll name our first child after you.” Winter’s jaw dropped, and Weiss rolled her eyes. “Of _course_ we used protection, you dolt!” Then her hands flew to her mouth too; she’d just called her beloved older sister a dolt.

“Can confirm!” Nora said, which wasn’t exactly helpful. When eyes turned to her, she folded her arms across her chest. “I gave her one of Ren’s condoms.” When Ren looked at her in consternation, Nora scoffed. “Oh come on, Ren. They know I’ve been banging your brains out since Beacon. It's not like it's any big secret."

Winter’s gaze went back to Weiss like a missile locking on target. “ _One?”_

Weiss stared at her feet. "The second time we didn’t…um…there was no penetration.” Because of all the questioning looks, Weiss hesitantly made a fist and then an up-and-down motion. Jaune wondered if he could commit ritual suicide with a butter knife.

“And we all heard _that_ this morning,” Ruby hissed. “And I heard you two last night! I got no sleep! At all! I had to explain the birds and bees to Penny and what love is and why my sister and Blake were being so loud and why Jaune and Weiss hooked up and why I was so damn frustrated that _I_ was being loud and oh my gods, I just said something I shouldn’t have again, didn’t I?”

Yang smirked back to Ruby. “Oh _ho._ So what was my baby sister up to last night?” 

Oscar made a preemptive strike. “She wasn’t with me, I swear!”

“Ah,” Yang nodded. “Double clicking the mouse, Rubes? Buttering your muffin? Getting lost in the deep end? Hmm?”

Ruby made strangling sounds, but abruptly the attention of the table went back to Winter. “I can’t believe it, Weiss.” She was shaking her head. “I can’t believe you would give up your virginity before marriage.”

“Oh, right!” Weiss shouted. She flung a finger at Qrow, who had been watching the proceedings with a smile, remembering when Team STRQ had found out Taiyang was sleeping with Raven, and the utter chaos that resulted from that. “And what were you doing with _him?”_ It was a guess, nothing more, based on Team RWBY’s suspicions that Winter and Qrow had gotten together that one night at Beacon. Winter, however, was not prepared for the sally. She spluttered, took a step back, and Oscar thought everyone was turning a shade of red this morning. It gave everyone all the answer they needed.

“Uncle Qrow?” Yang asked. “You…and _Winter?_ ”

Qrow knew this was a time to be quiet, so he just modestly shrugged. Winter rounded on him, slamming _her_ hands on the table, and was about to deliver some of her more choice insults when suddenly, she felt a wave of calm go through her. Ruby, who was about to hit her sister in the face with her plate of waffles, felt the same way; Jaune, who was about to flee through the kitchen, sat back down. The table and everyone at it took on a slightly duller tone, as if their colors were washed out.

“I think we should all take a deep breath,” Ren said, “and approach this situation calmly.” He had both hands on the table, and had enough of the argument. He didn’t know if it was going to attract Grimm, but he did know he was getting a headache. “Now Yang, what would you like to say to your sister?”

Yang looked down. “I’m sorry we were so loud, Ruby. You know how I get. I really didn’t mean it, it’s just that…I love Blake.” She wasn’t sure if it was Ren’s Semblance that made her say that, or because it was, of course, the truth.

“I love Yang,” Blake added, and that had nothing to do with Ren.

Winter sighed. “It’s all right, Weiss,” she said. “I’m just…worried about you. I don’t want you to make the same mistake others of our family have.” Weiss knew she meant their mother. 

“I’ll be okay, Winter—“ Weiss began, but it was Jaune who interrupted her. “Colonel Schnee, I would never hurt Weiss. And I apologize for being loud as well. It’s just…well, it was our--”

“First time,” Winter finished, with a wistful smile.

“And Ruby?” Ren asked.

“Ren…drop your Semblance,” Ruby asked. “What I want to say, I don’t want to be influenced by it.”

“I’m only calming people down, not compelling them,” Ren replied. “But all right.” He pulled his hands off the table.

Ruby reached across and took her sister’s mechanical hand with her own right hand, and Blake’s hand with her left. “I think it’s wonderful that you two got together. I really do. Because you’re my sister, Yang, and you’re one of my best friends, Blake.” Ruby looked across to Weiss. “And I’m glad you were able to find something too, Weiss—and Jaune. Because you’re my best friends too.” Tears welled in the silver eyes. “You’re all my best friends, and I love all of you. Like I told Penny, it’s not the same way Yang and Blake love each other, or Ren and Nora love each other, or maybe Weiss and Jaune and Qrow and Winter love each other.” She glanced at Oscar, then hurriedly turned away. “But I love all of you so much, and I just want to make sure you’re going to be okay. And yeah,” she sniffled with a little smile, “maybe I’m just a little bit envious.” She tightened her grip on Yang’s and Blake’s hands. “I was going to say welcome to the family to Blake, since she’s with Yang now, and they love each other…but…maybe that’s not the right thing to say, I dunno…and I’m kind of screwing this up because I didn’t get any sleep, but really…” Ruby bent over and began sobbing. “Really…you’re _all_ my family, and I love you so much!”

Yang’s lower lip had been trembling. She leaned across and embraced her sister with a hug. “Aww, Rubes. We all love you too.”

The table was silent, broken only by the crying of the two sisters. Then the door opened and Ironwood returned. “I’m glad to hear that,” he said. At Winter’s questioning look, he smiled. “There wasn’t actually a call. I knew you’d never talk it over unless I left the room.” He sat down and motioned to the food. “I don’t know about any of you, but such goings on in the night can leave you with a powerful appetite. I can speak from experience. Shall we eat?”

Everyone laughed a little and went back to their food, though Blake replaced Ruby’s coffee with a glass of milk. Winter was just about to breach the subject of the upcoming Atlesian election when Ironwood’s Scroll beeped again. Everyone stopped as he rolled his eyes and took it out of his pocket. “Oh. Just a text.” He quickly replaced the Scroll, but not before Qrow saw the name at the top of the screen: _Glynda Goodwitch._

“So, Jimmy,” Qrow grinned, “just what were _you_ up to last night?”

**_EPILOGUE: BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY_ **

Emerald Sustrai hated going to Salem’s throne room. The entire castle was gloomy, with no one to keep her company but Mercury and Hazel. In Salem’s realm, the sun never broke through the overcast, only the shattered moon. Not there was anything to see out there but Grimm, and a hellscape that made Emerald cringe to even step out of the castle; even the air smelled fetid. The castle itself was merely musty, which was just barely an improvement.

And of course Cinder Fall was likely dead. Emerald wasn’t sure how she felt about Cinder, if Cinder was a mother figure, or a sister, or even possibly a lover. She would never know now, because thanks to Raven, Team RWBY and Team JNPR—Emerald could never think of the latter as anything else—Cinder was gone, probably for good. Emerald had grown up alone, and now she was alone again. 

Still, she thought, it could be worse. She didn’t have to steal just to survive, and if Salem’s castle was dark and creepy, at least Emerald ate regularly. In return, Salem only asked fealty and the occasional favor, such as bringing her dinner. Emerald wasn’t sure if the undead witch even needed to eat, but apparently she did enjoy doing so. The soup was little more than broth and the wine was cheap, but it was what Salem had requested.

She lightly knocked on the door of the throne room. “Enter,” Salem said in a surprisingly gentle voice. Emerald opened the door and walked in.

It had been repaired somehow, probably by magic, after Salem’s scream of pure rage had shattered every window in the place. It was once more the high-ceilinged room with the purple oak table; everything was purple, Emerald reflected, the color of the sky outside. The thief walked up to Salem, who sat legs crossed on her crystalline throne, gave a sort of curtsey since it seemed appropriate, and because Emerald was frightened, and set the tray down on the table. She saw that Salem was watching an odd sort of globe, floating before her over the table. The globe was dark, and yet gave off some sort of light.

“Curious?” Salem asked. Emerald only wanted to leave, but the witch obviously knew that she _was_ curious. Normally Salem watched the outside world through Seer Grimm; Emerald was very happy that none were present, as Seer were terrifying. “It’s a scrying globe,” Salem explained. “Not as reliable as the Seer Grimm, but unlike the Seers, I can use it to gaze into places that I…” The witch smiled with bloodless lips “…that I’m not supposed to be able to see into.” To demonstrate, she waved a hand almost lazily. In the globe appeared Menagerie. Emerald peered closer and saw that it was a party of some kind, where Faunus of every species imaginable were dancing, drinking, and generally having fun. She envied them, then suppressed the thought of envy in case Salem could sense it.

Salem waved it again, and another scene appeared, this time in Argus. Emerald’s throat tightened as she recognized a statue of Pyrrha Nikos: though Pyrrha had been their enemy in Beacon and come very close to killing Cinder, Emerald still respected the Invincible Girl of Mistral. In front of the statue was a red-haired woman, bearing a bouquet of flowers; she knelt in front of the statue and wept.

Another wave, and this time it was in Atlas, in a bedroom. The bedroom was dark, and in the middle were two naked females, embracing each other. Emerald gave a start. “You know them?” Salem asked.

“That’s…they’re part of Team RWBY,” Emerald answered in shock. “That’s Yang Xiao Long and—“

“—Blake Belladonna,” Salem finished. “Yes. It seems they are lovers now.” Salem waved the globe back to its darkness, just as Yang knelt in front of Blake; Emerald found herself wanting to watch more. “You see, Emerald, my scrying glass is attracted to strong emotion, just as the Grimm. But where the Grimm are only attracted to negative emotion, the scryer is attracted to positive emotions as well—happiness, pride, love. It does not have the same power of a Seer, in that I cannot interact with those I see…but I can see them. And watch.”

“Oh,” Emerald said, unsure of what else to say.

Salem laughed. It was not a pleasant sound. “Emerald, my dear, you are rather transparent. You are wondering if I watch for pleasure. The answer is no. All that they are experiencing—the Belladonnas’ anniversary party in Menagerie; Pyrrha Nikos’ mother weeping not just from sorrow, but in pride because her daughter fought bravely; Yang Xiao Long and Blake Belladonna discovering their love for another—all those and far more I have _already_ experienced, many times over.” She lightly tapped Emerald under the chin; the thief could not stop from flinching at the cold fingers. “Perhaps you would like to watch out of desire, Emerald? Or is it envy?”

“N-no,” Emerald stammered. “That’s all right.” She changed the subject, knowing that Salem knew the truth. “Then you know what our enemies are planning?”

“Alas, no. I merely know their location. The globe cannot pick up sound, and it is somewhat limited. It is in some ways random. Had I not been scrying for the Relic of Knowledge, I would have never come upon any of these scenes; had the people involved’s emotions not been spiking, the scryer would have never picked them up.”

“Then you know where the Relic is,” Emerald said.

“It is in Atlas. I could not find its exact location.” Salem rubbed her chin in thought. “It is cloaked, somehow. Given that I could only see a few of Ozpin’s former followers, it is likely because their emotions were not overly strong. Or possibly because of the silver-eyed one’s latent power.” She shrugged. “I learned nothing, but it does not matter. Watts and Tyrian are already there, and the plan is already in motion.”

“And Cinder?” Emerald could not help but ask.

“The powers of the Maiden also interfere with the scryer’s power. I have no idea where any of the Maidens are, or indeed if they are alive. If I had that knowledge, I would not need any of you.” Emerald could not help but swallow nervously at that; the last thing she wanted to hear from the most powerful being on Remnant was that she was no longer necessary. Salem picked up on that fear, and laughed again. “Relax, Emerald Sustrai. I’m not going to kill you. In fact, I thank you for the meal.” Salem took a sip of the soup. “There is one other reason why I scry, however.”

Since Salem evidently expected an answer, Emerald asked, “Why?”

“Because I’m bored.” Salem smiled. “When you are immortal and cannot die, Emerald, you learn to find diversions. Yes, I can create Grimm, but after awhile, it becomes rather pedestrian, if necessary. Contrary to what you and Mercury think, I do not sit in here all day and think of nefarious plans. I often read, and I scry, and I think.” Salem quickly took another sip of soup, and Emerald wondered if the witch had slipped up, and revealed something that perhaps she didn’t want to.

Emerald gave a nervous laugh. “I, um, actually thought that maybe you were…well…casting a spell on someone.”

“Such as?”

“Like…well…Yang and Blake?” Emerald shrugged. “I mean, you would get them all hot and bothered and then distracted, and find the Relic so we could take it--“

Salem actually dropped the spoon into the bowl, and threw back her head in the loudest laugh Emerald had ever heard, her red eyes closed in mirth. “And what spell would that be, my dear?” She ran through the images again, swiping through them as if the globe was a Scroll. “A happiness spell? A spell of sorrowful pride? A love spell? _Especially_ a love spell?” Salem abruptly stopped laughing, and Emerald shrank back in fear as those red eyes were turned on her. “Why would I do that, Emerald? Why on Remnant would I cast a spell of love on my enemies, when love is their greatest weapon against me? I need this Team RWBY torn apart, not growing closer together, and that is _exactly_ what is happening!” 

The room shook dangerously, and Emerald fell. She tried to get out, but her back was against one of the chairs, and there was nowhere to run as Salem stood, eyes glowing with unholy rage. “It is because of the utter incompetence of the fools I am surrounded with, such as Cinder Fall and Adam Taurus, that these young men and women are so closely knit, may both of them burn in _hell!”_ A glass cracked, and Emerald closed her eyes, sure that she was about to die after all. “Had Cinder killed them like she was instructed, instead of toying with them like the incompetent ass she was—she should have rammed that spear through the back of Weiss Schnee’s _head!_ And had Adam Taurus not been so foolishly blinded by his desire for the Belladonna girl instead of doing his godsdamned job, I might still have the Faunus neutralized and on my _side!_ ” More glass cracked, and Emerald whimpered despite herself. She did not want to die.

The castle stopped shaking, and it was silent. Emerald opened one eye, surprised to find herself still breathing. Salem, however, was not looking at her. She was staring into space, her hands slowly coming down and turning their natural bone-white color, the fire that had been in them dying as Emerald watched. “Leave,” Salem whispered. “Leave before I forget that you are useful.”

Emerald nodded quickly, scrambled to her feet, and fled for the entrance. The door slammed behind her. Salem watched the door for a minute, then sat down slowly in her chair. With a wave of her hand, the windows repaired themselves, and then with another spell, she heated her soup until it was bubbling hot. She looked at her fingers for a moment, then twirled them just a little. A pink and blue sphere popped into existence, the colors intertwined, then turning entirely pink, then blue, then through every color of the spectrum. Salem watched the swirl of colors, then sighed and let it dissipate. 

“Just because I choose not to use love spells, dear Emerald,” the witch said softly, “doesn’t mean I don’t know how to use them.” She activated the scryer again: it still held the image of Yang and Blake. “But I didn’t use them this time, because as I told you, Emerald, this was the last thing I wanted.” 

Then Salem moved her fingers again, and the image dissolved into Jaune Arc and Weiss Schnee, both naked, sprawled in Jaune's bed. In the image, Weiss’ head was thrown back, her eyes shut, her mouth open in a scream that Salem could not hear, but imagine. Jaune’s eyes were closed as his hands gripped Weiss’ breasts like a lifeline, and Salem could see him thrust into the girl with abandon, both of them lost in ecstasy. She froze the image as she picked up her wineglass, her head resting on the other hand. For a long moment, Salem did not see the former Schnee heiress and the blond knight: she saw herself and Ozma, the night they had consummated their love, both virgins, both inexperienced, both with no idea what they were doing, both unsure of everything but their love for each other. 

Salem blinked, and the image was once again Weiss and Jaune. She flicked her fingers, and the images reversed, to the moment that Weiss let her nightdress fall, threw off the camisole, and stepped out of her panties. “What fools these mortals be,” Salem whispered, and as she watched, a single tear rose and fell from the undead Grimm queen’s eye. 

**Author's Note:**

> Gee, that's a bit of a downer ending, huh? Yet when I decided to turn this into a multi-chapter story, that was how I'd always intended to end it. Ultimately, "One NIght in Atlas" is a love story, and if Salem's not going to win this war (and I doubt she will, unless RT wants to have a riot on their hands), it's going to be love that defeats her. Hence the last scene, with Salem crying a single tear: she knows what she's lost and can never have again.
> 
> Originally, the scene with Salem and Emerald was going to be a lot more explicit. Salem was going to show Emerald that, oh yes, she still knows how to cast love spells, and Emerald would end up on the floor, being forced to orgasm over and over. It sounded titillating, all right, but after I wrote it, I didn't like it. It changed the story, and implied that it was Salem all along that forced the main characters to end up with each other. It robbed the scene of the rage and sorrow it needed. So sorry if that disappoints anyone (it probably will), but I think it took away more than it added. (To say nothing of the fact that Salem would basically be raping Emerald at that point, and I wanted to avoid that sort of thing.) Salem also quotes Shakespeare, but while I'm pretty sure Shakespeare hasn't existed on Remnant, the line felt appropriate.
> 
> The part where Ruby begins to cry is yet another scene that the characters sort of wrote themselves. I kind of had Ruby just saying to Blake "Hey, welcome to the family," like Blake and Yang were essentially marrying, but then it was like Ruby herself said "Hey, Sentinel! She's already part of the family!" And the scene went from there. 
> 
> Will there be any more written on this? Probably not, unless the muse bugs me to write where Ruby does visit Oscar in the middle of the night. Maybe she will...Ruby deserves someone too.


End file.
